Stop actuating register



Sept. 5, 1933. R. F. BEAU.

STOP ACTUATING REG'ISTER Filed July 1l, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .5J 2e 4,5 W #7 w 4 Il Y lllll lllllIlll// Sept. 5, 1933. R F BEALL 1,925,743

STOP ACTUAT ING REGI STER Filed July ll, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 5, 1933 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

Generically this invention relates to a stop mechanism for power driven machinery, but it more especially comprehends the type adaptable for use in connection with a printing press for stopping the machinery after a predetermined number of operations, as when a predetermined number of copies have been printed.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a stop device associated with a counting mechanism andY adapted to automatically effect stoppage of the press when the counter mechanism has registered a predetermined number of impressions.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a stop device associated with a counter mechanism embodying a plurality of means independently selective for engagement with complementalmeans of a counting mechanism and adapted to automatically signal or effect stoppage of the press when the counter mechanism has registered a predetermined number of impressions.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a stop mechanism comprising a spring actuated longitudinally movable shaft having mounted thereon a plurality of sprocket wheels, each of said wheels, in the present instance, adapted for selective engagement with one of the numbering discs of a counting mechanism, and means carried by the wheels coacting with means carried by the shaft to cause the latter to operate a signal or effect stoppage of the press when the numbering discs of the counter mechanism have registered a predetermined number of impressions.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which: Fig.` 1 is a side elevation of a counting mechanism embodying my improved stop mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the stop device showing the shaft in extended position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing the wheel at the right turned to lock shaft in retracted position;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspectiveview of the movable shaft;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the counting mechanism with a modified form of stop mechanism operatively associated therewith.

Fig. '7 is a transverse cross section of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal horizontal section of the stop device shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan View of the movable shaft shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a transverse cross section of the shaft taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

The counters with which I am familiar have proven deficient in being incapable of being expeditiously set to properly signal the operator or effect stoppage of the press, to prevent overruns, etc., too complicated in construction and costly to manufacture and install, and it was to overcome the deciencies of such devices heretofore in use, and to provide a stop device associated with a counting mechanism, susceptible of being constructed either as an integral component therewith or manufacturable as an independent unit for attachment to counting mechanisms already in use, comprising a spring actuated shaft, a plurality of independently rotatable tumbler-like members mounted on said shaft, each of said members adapted for selective engagement with the complemental means carried by the counter mechanism, and means carried by said rotatable members and co-acting with means carried by the shaft, whereby, when the counting mechanism has registered a predetermined number of impressions the shaft will be released, thereby effecting the automatic signalling to the operator orstoppage of the press, that I designed the device forming the subject matter of this invention.

Counting mechanism Reference being had to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a counting mechanism A comprising a substantially U-shaped supporting frame including bottom 1 and end Walls 2 and 3, respectively.

Interconnecting said end walls is a supporting shaft 4 having one end extending through end wall 2 and the other extending through a tubular sleeve 5 journaled in a two part bearing block 6 mounted through end wall 3, the outer end of sleeve 5 terminating in end plate 7 mounted on said sleeve, and secured to end plate 7 is operating arm 8, for a purpose hereinafter appearing. Said end plate 7 is secured from longitudinal movement on shaft 4 by collar 9 secured on the free end of said shaft 4 by cottei` pin 10. The free end of arm 8 is connected to a link mechanism structure 11 by pin 12 connected to some part of the machine, the movements of which are to be registered as will be clear without further description.

Rotatably mounted on supporting shaft 4 are a plurality of digit discs, cash bearing upon 'its periphery the digits from 0 to 9, and in the present instance, comprising a units-disc 13, ai tensdisc 14, a hundreds-disc 15, a thousands-disc 16, and a tens-thousands disc 17. Suitably affixed concentric with each digit disc 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, is a gear wheel 132,14', 15', 16', and 1'7, respectively, each of said wheels have ten teeth corresponding to the number of numerals on the disc, and for a purpose hereinafter appearing. Each disc on the Vside opposite from the gear wheels 13', etc., is provided with a lateral projecting lug 18 suitably secured thereto. In the present instance each of the digit discs is formed with a lateral peripheral flange 19 formed with or on which are suitably mounted the numerals above referred to.

Mounted in the end walls 2 and 3 below discs 13--17 is a supporting shaft 20 having one end terminating in a rivet head 21 and the other adapted to receive a cotter pin 22 and rotatably mounted on said shaft 20 are a plurality of gear wheels 23 each of which is adapted to mesh with a respective gear wheel 14', 15', 16' and 17'. The teeth of said gear wheels 23 being wider than those of said first mentioned gear wheels so that when the lug 18 of the unit disc 13 makes an entire revolution it will advance digit Wheel 14 one digit, and so forth, throughout all of the discs 13 to 17, inclusive, as will be clear Without further description. Also mounted on shaft 20 are a corresponding plurality of pawls 24 having their respective free ends adapted to engage a tooth of the respective gear wheels 13' to 1'7' 'and are held in contact therewith by coil springs 25l suitably mounted intermediate each pawl and bottom 1A which permits the passage of each tooth in registering direction to prevent reverse movement of said disc, as will be clear without further description.

It will be noted that while in the normal operation of the device, the spring controlled pawls 24 prevent reverse movement of the discs 13-17,

their action is not sufiiciently positive to prevent manual actuation of the discs in reverse direction to effect their return to zero following the initial setting.

In order that the various discs may be operated as above described a ratchet mechanism l 26, including'coil spring 2'7 having its lower end seating on block 28 is suitably secured to the inner end of sleeve 5, so that each movement of operating arm 8 will effect actuation of gear wheel 1'3' and advance unit disc 13 one digit and each complete revolution of disc 13' will advance disc 14 one digit, and in like manner the entire number of discs'will be actuated to register the number of impressions or forms made by the printing machine and transmitted to the counting mechanism through arm 3 in the manner described.

Stop mechanism be positioned adjacent the inner surface of end 2 detachably secured thereto by bolts 30 or other suitable fastening elements, and end support 31 is similarly positioned with respect to end 3 and secured thereto by bolts 30. End 29 spaced from its upper edge is provided with a bearing hublike member 32 projecting outwardly from opposite sides thereof, and end support 31 is likewise provided with a cylindrical bearing 33 mounted therein in alignment with bearing 32 having its outer end 34 closed, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

A shaft 35 is journaled in said bearings 32 and 33, the free end 36 extending beyond the bearing 32 and is formed with a flat surface 37, the upper edge of the bearing 32 being provided with a similarly formed detachable member 38 to prevent rotation of said shaft. Said surface 37 terminates in an upstanding lip 39 to limit the longitudinal movement of said shaft in re- `traetile direction. The inner end of said surface 37 terminates in shoulder 40 adapted to limit the longitudinal movement of the shaft in the opposite direction. The member 38 is secured by screw 38' or other suitable fastening element, the removal of which permits the positioning and withdrawal of shaft 35, as will be clear without further explanation.

A coil spring 41 is adapted to seat against the end 34 and against the inner end of shaft 35 within bearing 33 to normally maintain said shaft in extended position. The bearing 33 is slotted as at 42 for purposes of oiling and the like. The shaft 35 is formed with a longitudinal slot 43 and with a plurality of transverse circumferential grooves 44 correspondingly spaced to the discs 13 to 17, and exceeding by one the number of such discs as illustrated in the present instance, but adapted to be increased or decreased in accordance with the number of counting discs employed by a particular counting mechanism. Loosely mounted on said shaft intermediate the bearing 32 and 33 are a plurality of permutation gear or sprocket wheels 45 corresponding to the number of counting discs, any one or more of said wheels 45 adapted to be set to operatively engage, in the present lestranee, the respective gear wheels 13' to 17', inclusive, for a purpose which will hereinafter more fully appear.

The hub portion 46 of each of the wheels 45 is adapted to be of a width corresponding to the distance between the gear wheels 13', 14', etc., and said hubs are formed with a plurality of apertures 47 corresponding to the number of teeth carried by said gear wheels. A semi-circular spring member 43 constituting in effect a tumbler element formed with a rib or hand 'gi member 49 and with a pin 50 projecting 'from its underside secured thereto by soldering, rive ing or in any suitable manner, is adapted to Vfrictionally Vengage over each of the respective hubs, and when so positioned the pin 50 l! adapted to be received by a selected aperture 47 and being of a sufficient length to extend through said hub member for engagement with slot 43 and 'grooves 44 formed in shaft 35, for a purpose hereinafter more fully appearing.

With further reference to grooves 44, it will bc noted that tumbler pin 450 associated with each of hub portions 46 'of the respective wheels 45 is adapted to engage a respective groove 44 when shaft 35 is in retracted position, and therefore, in order that eaz'ch of the pins 50 may likewise engage and be free to travel in a. re-

CII

spective groove 44 when the shaft is in extended position, it is apparent that the number' of grooves 44 must exceed by one thenumber of wheels'45, that is, if there are five wheels,'there must be 6 grooves, whereby the groove at the inner end will be inoperative when the shaft is retracted and the one at theouter end inoperative when it is extended, otherwise when the shaft is in extended position, certain of the tumblerswould be held in slot 43, locking the respective numeral wheels or registering devices.

In operation it will be observed that to effec' stoppage of the press after the counting mechanism has registered a predetermined number of impressions the operation is as follows: The discs 13 to 17 are initially set at the number of impressions yit is desired to make, and since the operation is identical with all of the discs, for sake of brevity of description and for purposes of explanation, we will presuppose 18 as theY predetermined number of impressions, in which case, all of the detachable tumbler elements 48 are removed except the units and tens, and at first, are set with the pins 50V in alignment and extending within slot 43, so that the shaft 35 may be retracted, and as soon as the digit dise 13 is moved slightly to bring the pin 50 out of alignment with slot 43 in its respective groove 44 the shaft 35 will be locked in retracted position. The digit discs are then both returned to zero prior to the starting of the press and upon operation of the press, through the instrumentality of arm 8, when the disc 13 has made a complete revolution it will advance the tens dise one digit and when it has registered 8 more impressions, bringing the total to 18, the predetermined number, the tumbler pins 5G will be brought into alignment with slot 43, whereby the shaft 35 will be released to extended position to either trip the proper mechanism or make proper contact to effect instant stoppage of the press, and, whereby such release of shaft 35 permitting its movement to extended position by spring 41 causes its engagement with said trip or Contact mechanism carried by the press to automatically effect stoppage thereof when the predetermined number of forms in accordance with the setting of the registering mechanism have been printed, as will be clear without further discussion. Although I have shown thek numerals as applied 'to disc 113-17 it is to be understood that the numerals may if desired be applied directly to the wheels 45, which may in turn be adapted for co-acting engagement with any suitable gear mechanism suitable for the purpose, as well as the mechanism preferably heretofore rescribed.

Modified stop mechanism Coming now to form C which is a modification of attachment B there is shown a stop mechanism similar in principle to attachment B but differing slightly in structural arrangement. In this form there is shown ends 2a and 3a,

w respectively, formed with bearings 51 and 52,

in which is journaled shaft 53, which in this instance, is substituted in location for shaft 35 of kform B. Loosely mounted on said shaft intermediate the bearings 51 and 52 are a plurality of gear or sprocket wheels 45a corresponding in number and for a similar purpose to the sprocket Wheels 45 heretofore described. The hub portion 46a of each of the wheels 45a is similar in width to portion 46 but in lieu of the vapertures 47 the circumferential surface of the hub is' forme-d with a series of slots 47a'r corresponding to the number of teeth carried by said gear wheel and semi-circular tumbler member 48a formed with an upstanding rib 49a and with pin 50a adapted to engage any selected slot 47a when the member 48d is positioned over hub 46a as heretofore explained. In this form a shaft 35a is mounted adjacent the rear edges of the end walls 2a and 3a in horizontal alignment with the shaft 53, said shaft 35a being substantially heart shaped in cross section. The opening in end wall corresponds to the configuration of said shaft and the opening in end wall 2a also corresponds to the shape of the shaft except that the apex is reversed as at 54. The said shaft is formed at its apex with a cut-out portion 37d, lip 39a and shoulder 40ct. The shaft is adapted to be inserted through end wall 2a and when the shoulder 4G has passed said end member the shaft is reversed so as to extend through end wall 3a, whereby it is held against rotatable movement, and its longitudinal movement is limited by iip 40 and shoulder 40a as in the previous form. Instead of coil spring 41, leaf spring 41a is employed secured to end member 3a by screws 55, the free end of the spring engaging the end of shaft 35a for a purpose similar to coil spring 41. Intermediate the ends 2a and Se. are a series of arms corresponding in number to the wheels 45a adapted to engage the respective ribs 49a, as will hereafter appear and terminating at one end in hub like bearing members 57 looselyl mounted on shaft 35a. Each of the bearing members 57 in alignment with arm 56 on the inner surface thereof is provided with a tumbler lug 58 which is adapted to register with notch 59 formed in the apex of the shaft 35d, the number of notches, of course, being one in excess of the number of arms employed in accordance with the preferred form.

The operation of this form is similar in principle to the operation of form B except that when the shaft 35a is in retracted position each of the arms 56 rests on the respective hubs 46a, and members 48a as shown in Fig. 7, causing the lugs 58 within notches 59 to maintain the shaft 35a in retracted position, but as each of the Wheels 45a reach the number on its complemental disc constituting its respective digit of the predetermined number, the ledge 49a will engage the under surface of the arm 56 and raise and maintain the same in elevated position as shown at the three middle wheels in Fig. 6, whereby the respective lugs 58 are removed from the notches 59 and as the nal number is reached and the last lug 58 removed from its notch and aligned with the ot ers, the shaft 35a under the action of leaf spring 41a will be released and projected outwardly similar to shaft 35 as described in connection with form B, thereby operating a suitable signal or a contact for effecting stoppage of the press, as and in the manner heretofore described.

Conclusion Although in practice, I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to Within the scope of CTI the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention,

Having thus described my invention, what I desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims:

l. The combination with a register of the type embodying a frame including parallel end walls and a series of registering devices supported between said walls and operable in numerical progression; of an attachment applicable as a unit to the register and comprising a pair of supporting members detachably assocatecl with said end walls, a longitudinally movable shaft mounted in and extending beyond said supporting members, said shaft being formed with a plurality of circumferential grooves and a longitudinal slot intersecting said grooves, a plurality of gear elements mounted on said shaft, each adapted to mesh with a respective registering device and each having a hub extension formed with a circumferential series of radially extending apertures, a plurality of detachable tumbler elements each adapted to partially embrace a respective hub member and formed with a pin for engagement with a selected aperture and with said grooves and slot, each of said tumbler elements being formed with an upstanding rib or hand grip member, whereby the tumbler elements may be positioned with respect to their respective hub members in accordance with a Ypredetermined number, for maintaining the shaft in retracted position. and adapted to be aligned in said slot to release said shaft when the registering devices have registered said predetermined number.

2. The combination with a register of the type embodying a frame including parallel end walls and a series of registering devices supported between said walls and operable in numerical progression; of an attachment applicable as a unit to the register and comprising a pair of supporting members detachably associated with said end walls, a longitudinally movable shaft mounted in and extending beyond said supporting members, said shaft being formed with a plurality of circumferential grooves and a longitudinal slot intersecting said grooves, a plurality of gear elements mounted on said shaft and having hub extensions formed with a circumferential series of radially extending apertures, a corresponding plurality of detachable spring clip tumbler elements each formed with a pin adapted for engagement with a selected aperture of its respective hub and engageable in said grooves and slot to normally maintain the shaft in retracted position and to eifect release thereof when the registering devices have registered a predetermined number.

ROBERT FULTON BEALL. 

